Episode Overview What if the most counterintuitive habit in the world, deliberately thinking about your own death five times a day, could actually make you calmer, more present, and happier? That's not a thought experiment. It's a centuries-old folk saying from the tiny Himalayan nation of Bhutan, and it's the heartbeat behind the WeCroak app. In this episode, Samantha sits down with Hansa Bergwall, co-creator of WeCroak and a leadership and executive coach, to explore how an ancient practice of mortality awareness maps beautifully onto the way we treat OCD. They talk about exposure therapy, the psychology of reassurance-seeking, the power of the "right angle moment," and why Stoic philosophers had therapists beat by about two thousand years. Whether you live with OCD, support someone who does, or simply want to live more intentionally, this conversation is for you. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why Bhutan's ancient practice of contemplating death five times a day is backed by modern psychology How mortality awareness functions like exposure and response prevention (ERP) for death-themed OCD What "reassurance-seeking" really means and why the internet makes it so much worse The "right angle moment": a powerful mindfulness concept that creates space for intentional choice How WeCroak was intentionally designed without casino-style addictive features The connection between acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), Stoicism, and mortality meditation Practical, low-barrier entry points for meditation, especially for skeptical, high-achieving clients The history of Memento Mori: from ancient Rome to Renaissance art to your phone Why Henry David Thoreau, Walden Pond, and living deliberately still matter today About Hansa Bergwall Hansa Bergwall is the co-creator of WeCroak, a mindfulness app built on the Bhutanese folk saying that contemplating one's mortality five times a day leads to greater happiness. Inspired by his own grief, his study of Buddhist philosophy, and Western Stoic traditions, Hansa built WeCroak as a simple, intentionally designed tool with no infinite scroll, no rabbit holes, just five random daily reminders and a quote about impermanence. He is also a leadership coach working with executives and entrepreneurs through his practice at TidePathCoach.com, and writes about death salience and everyday life at his Substack, Ask Death. Episode Highlights & Timestamps 00:00 Introduction & the counterintuitive idea at the heart of this episode 01:29 Welcome to OCD Insights, how Samantha discovered WeCroak 03:14 The origins of WeCroak: grief, Buddhist death meditation, and the Bhutanese folk saying 05:45 Designing against casino tech, why WeCroak is built on "right angles" 08:28 Exposure and response prevention (ERP) and how WeCroak fits in 13:22 Reassurance-seeking, internet rabbit holes, and the compulsion cycle 19:35 What reassurance really means in OCD 23:27 Personal stories of grief and the turning points that led each guest here 27:40 The Stoic "view from above" , zooming out from the obsessive loop 30:09 ACT, ERP, and mindfulness: how they all meet in mortality awareness 32:17 Right angle moments: noticing + choosing is the whole of meditation 34:48 Breath isn't the only anchor , entry points for skeptical meditators 36:43 Walden Pond, Henry David Thoreau, and living deliberately 49:02 Hansa's grandfather: sobriety, presence, and a life-changing deathbed moment 57:11 Uncertainty is the core of OCD and death is the one certainty we try to avoid 58:05 Memento Mori: the history from ancient Rome through the Renaissance 01:01:10 The WeCroak photo feature and other practical mortality tools 01:03:46 Research on death contemplation and the search for happy thoughts 01:06:38 The math of a meaningful life, less b******t = more of what matters 01:10:15 Using WeCroak as an OCD tool: download links and how to get started 01:13:44 A note for those who feel anxious about trying this practice 01:15:40 Closing reflections and a beautiful quote by Renee Nicole Good Resources Mentioned WeCroak App (iOS & Android) — the app at the center of this conversation: Download WeCroak Henry David Thoreau, Walden — the book on deliberate, intentional living discussed in this episode. Music in this episode by Kevin Sherman: Kevin Sherman Music Connect with Hansa Bergwall LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hansa-bergwall-2a053314 Coaching Website: https://www.tidepathcoach.com/ Substack (Ask Death): https://askdeath.substack.com/ Download WeCroak: https://www.wecroak.com Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wecroak/id1436133118 Connect with OCD Insights Substack: https://substack.com/@ocdinsights YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OCDInsights Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ocdinsights/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OCDInsights/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthabraylcsw Website: https://ocdinsights.com Share Your OCD Story Samantha is looking for guests willing to share their OCD journey. The messy, real, human parts of it. Your story could be exactly what someone else needs to feel less alone and find hope. Apply to be a guest at: https://www.ocdinsights.com/asksam
